


Late Night Delivery

by velutluna_ithil



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Angst, Children, F/F, Family, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-08
Updated: 2015-07-25
Packaged: 2018-03-16 23:31:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3506768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/velutluna_ithil/pseuds/velutluna_ithil
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When JJ receives an unexpected package late one night, she has no one to turn to - except Emily.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [soul_wanderer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/soul_wanderer/gifts).



> I hope you enjoyed this little piece, maybe I'll expand it one day, let me know if you think I should! Also, thanks to soul_wanderer for finding the prompt and encouraging me to write! *hugs*

Cradling the small bundle in her arms, JJ considered the unbelievable situation she was in.

_She had been sitting at home, with a glass of wine, one of the small luxuries she allowed herself at the end of a case, a sign that good had pulled through once more. The knock on her door had barely been audible over the sound of her favorite album playing on the sound system Garcia had convinced the team to get her for her last birthday. Sliding her feet into her slippers, she wondered who would be ringing her doorbell; 10 pm was hardly the time for a social call. Not that she knew who would be paying her a social call anyway. For a moment she wondered if maybe Emily—but no. JJ walked over to the door, but as she glanced through the peek hole, she saw no one. She hesitated. The agent in her reminded her of all the brutal home entries she’d seen over the years. It paid to be cautious. She grabbed the baseball bat Morgan had left at her place once “by accident” and opened the door slowly. Her breathing quick, she tried to steady her nerves. She could handle anything. But what happened next was nothing she could have prepared for. In a box on her welcome mat, there was something wrapped in numerous blankets. Her heart beat stopped for a moment. Could it really be a… child? She picked up the unexpected package and brushed the linens back. A beautiful little face was revealed, still pink and wrinkly. She gasped. Someone had left a child on her doorstep? Not in front of a church, not in a hospital, in front of her, Agent Jennifer Jareau’s house?! Then she saw the letter._

JJ brushed her hand against the crumpled note inside her pocket. Even now, an hour later, she could not believe the words written in hasty letters on that small sheet of paper.

_Jennifer –_

_I know you don’t know me, but I know you. And I know that my baby will be safe with you. Please take her, love her. I won’t be back for her, I can’t, I can’t care for her, but you can._

_Thank you._

That was all. No name, no signs of who this woman could be. And her momentary shock hadn’t abated. The realization that this child was now hers was terrifying and hadn’t quite sunk in yet. A part of her rebelled against the idea, told her she could give the child to Social Services, the baby would be in the system and out of her hair. But she knew she would not listen to that voice. Hadn’t she wanted a child so desperately? And the mother, she had entrusted this child to her, only a few days old. How could JJ betray trust like that?

_What am I going to do? I need… Milk… Diapers… Oh god… I’m not ready for this… I can’t do this… I need help…_

And with no thought but of the support she needed, she packed up the tiny baby and ran out to her car. _Wait. I can’t drive with her, not without some sort of… Crap…_ She fished her phone out of her pocket and called a cab.

Twenty minutes later, she stood on shaking legs in front of Emily’s door. There had been an invisible force pulling her toward her friend’s door. It was as if some significant yet buried part of her knew that she needed Emily for this. She ignored the whispers in her mind that told her she had no right to go to Emily, that Emily would send her back home, would call her crazy for showing up late at night with a newborn in her arms… She also drowned out the delicate voice that spoke of hope and love and the future.

Taking one last deep breath, she knocked on her friend’s door.

 

* * *

 

Emily heard the knock and frowned. _Who could that be?_ She grabbed her gun from her desk drawer before heading downstairs. Her life made that extra precaution seem not only appropriate, but necessary. She had no desire to be hurt just because she wanted to pretend in the good of humanity. Too much darkness had crossed her path for her to be naïve.

When she saw JJ’s face, her hand relaxed its grip on the gun and she tucked it into her pants. With her other hand she swung the door open.

“Hi, JJ…?” she said, a question seeping into her voice at the wild look in JJ’s eyes. That’s when she noticed the bundle in her colleague’s arms.

“What the…” she started.

“Can I—we come in?” JJ asked in a quiet voice.

“Yeah, um, of course,” Emily said hurriedly. She ushered the unlikely duo into her house. _What is going on? A baby? Why does she have a baby?!_ For a brief second, Emily wondered if the baby was hers, but then immediately realized the impossibility of that conclusion. JJ hadn’t be pregnant, that wasn’t something you could hide. She scolded herself for the irrational idea. Then it hit her. The look in Jennifer’s eyes had been possessive, protective, passionate. She obviously felt strongly about the child in her arms. But whose child was it?

When all three of them were settled in the living room, Emily said “Now, are you going to tell me what’s going on?” She didn’t mention how her heart had quickened when JJ had shown up on her doorstep.

“Em… I… I found her,” JJ said.

“What?!”

“Someone dropped her off on my doorstep tonight… In a box… With a letter…”

Emily could hardly believe her own ears. This kind of thing happened in stories, not in the suburbs of D.C. Her expression must have revealed her disbelief.

“I’m sorry, look, I shouldn’t have come here. I just… didn’t know what else to do… who to go to…” JJ said, tears in her eyes. She began to stand.

Emily stood and moved to her side, gently pushing her back onto the couch. “JJ, no… It’s just a lot to take in, but please, stay… You’re always welcome here.” Her heart wanted to extend the offer, wanted to tell the frightened woman beside her just how much she wanted her in her life. But she remained silent.

“The mother wanted me to have her… And… I know I should give her up, foster care or something but… Emily… I don’t want to.” Now JJ was crying in earnest, hugging the still-sleeping child to her chest.

Emily pulled JJ close, ran her fingers through her hair.

Brokenly, JJ continued. “I’ve always wanted a child… But… I kept telling myself it wasn’t the right time, work was too important, the men were never good enough… And now fate has dropped this precious child into my arms and all I want to do is keep her, protect her, love her…”

Emily’s eyes stung. She had never much thought about having children, not after her brief pregnancy at 15. Her life was dangerous and often lonely, but it was what she was used to. But holding JJ in her arms, with the small girl swaddled in blankets between them made her yearn for the family she had never had.

“Em…,” JJ said after her tears had subsided. “I want this… But I can’t do it alone,” she whispered. Emily heard her unspoken plea and it nearly broke her heart. Didn’t she know that Emily would do anything and everything to make her happy? And she knew that even if JJ never came to love her, she would have enough for both of them. _The three of them._

Tipping JJ’s face up, she answered.

“You’ll never be alone.”

 


	2. Burden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> JJ and Emily go shopping together. But will this togetherness continue?

Under the glare of the fluorescent lights, Emily and Jennifer stood staring at the packages of baby power in their hands. One was white with a blue label, the other had orange marking all over it.

“Which one do we get?” JJ asked. Her eyes were wide in an unspoken plea. She had made one major decision that night, the minor ones were too much for her.

After perusing the descriptions for a few seconds more, Emily grabbed the bluish one added it to the clothes, diapers and formula already in the cart.

“Don’t worry, JJ, that was it,” Emily said, her hand gently pushing JJ toward the cashier, the little baby clutched to her chest. She neglected to add that they’d need to go shopping again tomorrow, there was still so much they were missing. Even if she didn’t have a lot of experience with children, she was experienced enough to know that one shopping trip does not a child-friendly home make.

Silently thanking every possible entity for ensuring the baby stayed asleep, Emily paid for everything and bagged it, then grabbed both bags and headed out into the dark parking lot. The 24/7 store had been nearly empty, and there were only three cars in the lot- probably belonging to the teenage cashier. The night was chilly and Emily could tell JJ was freezing in the light jacket she was wearing.

Once they were in the car she turned the heat on full, garnering a grateful smile from JJ.

JJ was looking out the window, the baby on her lap. She knew it was a bit irresponsible to have the little girl in a car without some sort of car seat, but she had immediately panicked when Emily suggested she could take care of the shopping herself. Tomorrow she’d go buy one, but tonight she needed to be around Emily, feeding off her strength. She felt guilty about it, Emily was going beyond the duty of a friend. At the word duty she cringed. She sincerely hoped Emily didn’t think of her as a burden. Then again, how could she think anything but? Here she had come, with a baby in her arms, barging into Emily’s home on one of her few free nights, and expecting Emily to help her raise a child?!

JJ’s eyes misted over. What had she been thinking? She couldn’t raise a child, couldn’t change her life like this, one day to the next. And how had she thought going to Em was fair? Emily had enough on her plate without her work colleague needing her help caring for an infant.

Emily heard JJ’s slight intake of breath, and her heart caught in her chest. As JJ’s arms tightened around the child in her lap Emily wished for nothing more than to hug them both, to protect them both. JJ was probably only now realizing the major choice she had made just a few hours earlier. Em wanted so desperately to ease the tension she saw in the taught lines of JJ’s shoulders.

“Jenny, you know you don’t have to do this…” she said gently.

But her words did not have the intended effect.

JJ froze. She had known Emily couldn’t want this burden, this load. She was already trying to get rid of them. A fierce protectiveness swelled in her breast and any doubts about the baby were stripped away. Along with the wave of motherly love there was a current of deep pain that JJ ignored. She didn’t need Emily for this, didn’t need her in order to be strong. She could do this on her own, she vowed, even as her heart broke and her unacknowledged family fantasies disintegrated before her mind’s eye.

The silence in the car was poisonous, slowly creating a toxic barrier between the two women.

“JJ?” Emily asked into the stillness.

Steeling her resolve, JJ answered calmly. “Thanks for your help. Can you drop us off at my place?” It was not a question, it was a command.

Emily felt a knife slip into her chest, the metaphorically feeling all too reminiscent of her past. What had gone wrong? The ice in Jennifer’s voice cut her to the quick. She knew that tone of voice, knew that she could not argue, could not convince her. Emily’s heat was not enough to thaw whatever had just frozen over in JJ.

“Sure.”

“Thanks.”

* * *

 

Emily pulled up next to JJ’s house. The car ride had been pure torture. Every streetlight had given her a glance of Jennifer’s impassive face, only softening when the baby made a noise. An errant thought occurred to Emily. What would they name the precious baby girl? That questions twisted the blade deeper- she would not be naming the child, she would be an outsider to the relationship already growing between the blonde and the little orphan.

JJ’s fingertips traced patterns along the child’s cheeks. Who will you grow up to be, little one? What will your life be like? What have you already seen? Deep in her own thoughts, JJ did not notice that they had stopped. All she could think about was that she wanted to provide this darling with all the love she could. She would be the best mother she could be. That was what this child deserved.

“Jennifer?” Emily said, reluctantly interrupting the touching scene next to her.

JJ’s head snapped up and for a moment Em thought she saw pain in the blue eyes looking at her. But the flash was gone in an instant and JJ’s face returned to its stone default. Emily did her best not cringe at the unnatural coldness. Where was the warm woman she knew?

“Oh, we’re here.”

“Let me help you carry the stuff in,” Emily asked, hoping JJ couldn’t hear the pleading quality in her voice.

JJ wished she could refuse, wish she could run from Emily and take refuge behind the walls of her home and her heart, but she knew it was utterly impractical.

“Yeah, thanks.”

They made their way to Jennifer’s front door, where Emily reluctantly place the bags on the porch.

“Should I come-“

“No, it’s fine,” JJ interrupted her. She needed to get away. Emily in her house would only mess with her damaged heart even more.

“Alright,” Emily said. It was clear she was being dismissed. The rejection stung, but it also made her angry and even if she would have loved to yell and shake the slight woman before her, she knew that it would change nothing. A few punches into the boxing bag in her home gym might help though.

JJ opened her door, babe still in her arm. “Bye,” she said, suppressing the longing she felt.

“See you,” Emily said, abruptly turning round and heading back to the car.

As JJ watched the retreating figure a tear slipped from her eye.

“It’s just us now, sweetie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't forget to comment, reading your feedback helps (also, if you have ideas I'd love to hear them).   
> And don't hate me!


	3. Sun and Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Late night musings...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is a little emotional tidbit to tide you over till I write more. Leave a comment if you liked it!

Her eyes blinked, still half asleep at the alarm clock: 3:47 am. For a brief moment she considered closing her eyes again, but she knew she couldn’t.

Ella needed her. This late night, early morning crying had become their tradition in the past week. The panic that had erupted in JJ’s chest the first time she had heard Ella’s cries had now diminished somewhat. She had grown used to being woken each night, multiple times, from the screams next to her bed. JJ had tried keeping the cradle in a separate bedroom, but she hadn’t been able to part from her little angel.

She placed her feet on the carpet and slowly walked over to the small wooden bed. She picked up Eleadora, and held her close to her chest as she went to warm a bottle. Ella’s screams calmed at the closeness, but did not cease entirely until she was given her bottle. JJ sat down with her, gently rocking the golden haired baby. Gift of the sun, that was what her name meant. Jenny had remembered the tale her best friend’s nanny had told her, about Eleadora, the Greek maiden with a smile of light and the sun in her hair.  And in her arms she now held her own very personal gift, a precious child that brought warmth and love into her life.

Jennifer ignored the stabbing pain in her chest at the thought of love. If only all love was as easy as ours, she thought.

JJ knew that at some point she would have to figure out how to deal with Emily. She couldn’t stay home from work much longer, no matter how understanding Hotch was. It wasn’t fair to her team and honestly, she needed to keep working. Knowing that she was now responsible for a young human being, a girl at that, she felt the burning need to make the world safe even more strongly than before.

But in order to work she would need a nanny. And she would need the strength to see Emily and not break apart. Her thoughts drifted to her, miles away, her dark hair splashed against satin sheets, her pale skin radiant in the moonlight…

 

* * *

 

Her eyes blinked, still half asleep at the alarm clock: 3:47 am. For a brief moment she considered closing her eyes again, but she knew she couldn’t.

2 hours of sleep was all she was going to get, she could feel it in her bones. It had taken her hours of tossing and turning to finally fall asleep and now she was wide awake again. Every night she woke up, time and time again. Sleep eluded her, and her dreams tormented her with pictures of JJ.

Sometimes the dreams taunted her with wish fulfillment, Jenny’s long hair unbounded, streaming down her back, or a playful, tempting smile on her lips. Other times they destroyed her with JJ’s hunted face, her tears, even her screams. Tonight Emily had woken with the sound of Jenny’s screams still ringing in her ears, the image of her broken body behind her eyelids.

She placed her feet on the carpet and slowly walked over to the small wooden table. She picked up the bottle of whiskey she had begun keeping there, in the vain attempt to erase her nightmares with the rich aroma. But tonight she set the bottle down again.

Reid had commented on her disheveled appearance and erratic behavior that morning. She had shrugged off his concern, but she knew that he was right. She needed to work on the insomnia, before she became dangerous for the team. It wasn’t fair to the team, and honestly she needed to feel like herself before JJ came back to work. Normally she had a tighter rein on her emotions, but losing Jenny was too much. That’s what it felt like when JJ didn’t show up for work, when Hotch announced that she was on leave, carrying for her new child.

Emily stumbled to the bathroom. The cold tile against her forehead she thought of the little child whose name she did not know, who she was not helping raise and she thought of the woman with golden hair who had brought sunlight into her life and who had disappeared behind a cloud of darkness.


	4. Drinks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> JJ comes back to work. What does that mean for the two of them?

In two houses, miles apart, two women dressed with special care.

JJ fingered the light pink blouse she had laid out last night. As she buttoned it in front of the mirror she didn’t see the way it highlighted her eyes, she didn’t see the way it fell in gentle lines, she saw the face of a dark haired woman and her soft lips.

Emily pulled her black t-shirt over her head, tugging her hair out from the collar. As she smoothed it down her torso she didn’t see the way it hugged her curves, she didn’t see the way it emphasized her strong stance, she saw the face of fair haired woman and her expressive eyes.

* * *

 

“Hi.”

“Hi. Good morning.”

“How are things?”

“Fine.”

“How’s… um, the baby?”

“She’s fine. I got a nanny.”

As the two women stepped out of the elevator, Reid saw their tense bodies, the way they kept a strict distance from each other. He saw the moment each of them placed well-crafted smiles on their lips and despite the rule to never profile each other, he could not help what was before his eyes. Something was wrong with JJ and Emily, but what it was was a mystery to him. Morgan caught his eye across the bullpen and nodded discreetly. Reid let out a tiny sigh of relief. He wasn’t the only one who felt that something was off.

 

* * *

 

“Here’s a picture of Ella,” JJ said, handing round her phone to waiting hands. Rossi smiled. “She’s a little beauty.” Even Hotch’s face brightened at the photography of the little girl. JJ relaxed, finally back in the warmth of her chosen family. These people loved her and supported her. They might have been surprised at the baby-on-the-door-step story, but not a word of doubt passed their lips.

“So, it’s Ella, is it?” Emily said, unable to keep the bitterness out of her voice.

JJ flinched, but forced herself to look at Emily, who had just come into the conference room. “It’s actually Eleadora, but Ella for short. I still have to make it official but…” she trailed off.

Emily’s breath caught. She had spent enough time in Europe to know what Eleadora meant. Gift of the sun. It was perfect. Though “gift for the sun” fit just as well. As keenly as she felt the hole in her heart, she realized that her anger at Jenny for pushing her away was nothing compared to the love she felt coursing through her. How could she even try to live without her?

JJ saw the tender smile that graced Emily’s lips with surprise. A true smile, one that could melt her heart. In her head, memories were clashing. “You’ll never be alone.” The flash of anger in Emily’s eyes. Her gentle touch. Leaving her standing at the door. What was she to think?

“Oh, hello JJ! I’m so glad you’re back. Well, I mean, I think it’s great you were spending time with your kid- by the way, WHAT? But yeah, I’ll grill you on that later, we’ve got a case. Pretty grizzly.” Penelope’s exuberant entrance shook both women out of their trances and the murder scenes on screen effectively killed any thoughts except those bent on catching the killer.

“Who’s up for drinks?” Morgan called out to the exhausted yet content team. Everyone was thankful to have caught the killer in such a short time, a two day case was a rarity. A chorus of “Yes”es filled the bullpen.

JJ however, shook her head reluctantly. “Sorry everyone, I really need to get home.”

Garcia nodded vigorously. “Yeah, of course, kiss little Ella from us!”

“Let me drive you,” Emily offered as she walked to the elevator with JJ.

“You’re not going with them?” JJ asked, surprised.

Emily’s gaze was intense. “No.”

Tension filled the elevator, but it was not the same tension it had been.

“Okay,” JJ said in a quiet voice.

* * *

 

Another quiet car ride.

JJ felt nervous. What was going on? What were they doing? She had hoped they were returning to normal, to their pre-Ella state, to friends (as much as the thought pained her). But now they were back in Emily’s car, not speaking. Why did Em offer to drive her home? Did she just want to help her get home? Did she not want her waiting round for a taxi? Or was there some other motive behind her offer?

Emily felt nervous. She desperately wanted to break the silence, but she didn’t know how. What was she going to say? Her offer had been a spur of the moment decision, born out of a desire to keep JJ close. After two days of close contact, she had panicked at the thought of letting JJ leave, of them drifting back into the awkward silence that had surrounded them for the two weeks before. But now Emily worried about how she could possibly change it. What words were enough? And what was too much?

The car stopped.

“Do you-“ “Can I-“.

At their mutual interruption, they both laughed. JJ beamed and Emily’s heart grew at the sound of her laughter, something she had not heard in far too long.

“You first,” Emily said, the corners of her mouth still upturned.

JJ blushed slightly, unbeknownst to the other woman. “Would you like to come in? Maybe for a drink? I think I still have some wine in the fridge, I mean, you don’t have to if you don’t want to, I know, you’re probably tired-“

Emily brushed JJ’s shoulder, disrupting the nervous chatter. “I’d love to.”


	5. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Secrets come to light...

“Thank you, Michelle, you’re a god-send!” JJ hugged the older woman gratefully. Michelle smiled at Emily before picking up her bag and heading out the door.

Emily stood a bit uncomfortably in Jennifer’s kitchen, not sure what to do now that she was in JJ’s domain. She had also, for a brief moment, forgotten why JJ had needed to go home. Ella. She was intruding on mother-daughter time, she was an unexpected, unnecessary presence. Even if she recognized the brand of formula in the fridge (which she had seen when getting out the wine), she was hardly a part of this tiny family. She grasped the two wine glasses in her hands and looked at JJ.

JJ could see Emily’s discomfort. Part of her wanted to put the brunette at ease, just chat with her, as they had done occasionally before. But she also needed to see that her darling was safe, even if Michelle had already put her to bed an hour ago. Torn, she hesitated at the bottom of the stairs.

“Go,” Emily said with a gentle smile. JJ returned it gratefully and rushed up the stairs.

Quietly opening the door to the bedroom, she heard the light breathing coming from the crib. She stood over the crib for a few moments, just watching the slow rise and fall of Eleadora’s chest. Reassured, she headed back downstairs, into the unknown.

Emily had sat down at one of the kitchen stools. Her mind was in turmoil. Above all else, she wanted to take JJ in her arms and…

“What’s wrong?” JJ asked, concern lacing her voice. “Em, you look…”

At Em’s vain attempt to plaster a smile on her face, JJ sighed, resting her hands against the table between them. “Em, don’t do that. Something is up and it’s insulting to me to fake a smile. Talk to me… Please.”

JJ’s plea warmed Emily’s heart, though it could not make it any lighter. “It’s nothing,” she tried, but JJ’s stern look cut her off. “Look, I don’t think it’s a problem I can deal with right now… How’s Ella?”

JJ shook her head. “I know you’re just changing the subject but Ella is fine. She’s sleeping. Though she’ll be up in a few hours for sure,” she added with a wry grin.

“How often does she wake up?”

“About 4 times a night. It’s almost like she can feel that something is off… It’s not just hunger.”

“But how do you sleep?” Emily asked with growing worry. “You can’t be getting enough sleep if she’s up every few hours?!”

“I haven’t been getting much sleep… Comes with the territory. Last night at the hotel was the most rest I’ve gotten since…” Both women thought back to that fateful night with mixed feelings.

Emily felt weak at the thought of JJ going through two weeks with Ella on her own, with only a few hours of sleep each night. That they’d both been up each night did little to ease her guilty conscience. She’d promised to be there, she should have forced JJ to let her help, even if she didn’t want it- her.

“JJ, I’m so sorry, I should have been helping you, that must have been tough.” Her words felt inadequate, she wanted to say so much more.

JJ hated the guilt she heard in Em’s voice. She didn’t want pity, keeping Ella had been her choice, and she didn’t want Emily’s help out of duty. “Emily, really, we’re fine. It’s not your job to take care of m-us.”

“But I promised!” Emily nearly shouted. Why was JJ shutting her out, again? Couldn’t she see it? She had meant every word.

“Damn it Emily! Don’t you get it? I don’t want you…” Emily’s heart tore at the words coming from JJ’s lips. A gasp of pain escaped her lips before she could seal them shut.

“… to help me out of duty. I refuse to force this on you, just because you’re my- friend.”

The vise that had been crushing Emily’s chest began to lift. “What did you just say?” Indignation tore through her. “You think I want to help you because it’s my duty? My responsibility? You think that’s why I promised you’d never be alone?”

JJ stood up and moved away, her back to Emily. She couldn’t face her. In a quiet voice she answered. “Why else would you help me? Why would you take on some random stranger’s child? Why else would you do this for me?”

At the brokenness in JJ’s voice, Emily came over and turned the smaller woman to her. There was a tear on her cheek.

“Jenny, can’t you see? It’s because I love you.”

JJ opened her mouth in protest, but Emily cut her off.

“And no, I don’t mean that as your friend, though that too. I love you… like the moon loves the sun, with reckless abandon. I want to be near you even though being near you makes me burn, you’re a fire blazing through my veins, you are the light that lights up my life… I love you,” Emily whispered.

JJ’s had grown wide, shocked by the revelation and the intensity of Emily’s words and gaze. She saw passion in her eyes. At the continued silence Emily made to take a step back. “I, uh, um…”

JJ pulled her back. Couldn’t she see the same passion shimmering in her eyes? Well, she’d just have to show her.

“Don’t you dare leave,” she said, before grasping Emily’s neck and bringing their lips together.

Emily moaned, her hands twisting through golden strands, her mind overwhelmed with the object of a hundred dreams that had all not done reality justice. JJ’s lips tingled, her breath came in gasps as Emily deepened the kiss.

“Oh, and I love you too,” JJ breathed when they finally broke apart. A smiled teased at Emily’s lips.

Their moment was disrupted by a sharp wail from upstairs. Reality burst in and JJ rushed off, squeezing Emily’s hand once more before she left.

* * *

 

Emily’s heart rate had nearly returned to normal when JJ came back, Ella in her arms. She smiled at her two rays of sunshine, both laughing now, JJ teasing the little girl.

JJ glanced up, joy apparent. “Would you like to hold her?”

Emily nodded. Carefully, with trepidation, she picked up tiny Eleadora and rocked the drowsy child in her arms. Without thought, she began singing under her breath, an Irish lullaby her nanny had sung to her many years ago.

JJ’s breath caught in her throat at the sight. It felt so right, standing there in the living room with the woman she loved (who loved her) holding the child that had unexpectedly turned up and turned her life upside down. Ella’s small hand clasped Emily’s finger and JJ saw the same feeling of devotion she had felt blossom in Em’s eyes. This was everything she wanted.

Emily motioned JJ over, and wrapped her free arm around her. Quietly, she said “You were wrong before. I’m not doing this _for_ you. I’m doing this _with_ you. I want us to be a family…”

Letting all her love shine through, JJ looked into Emily’s eyes and whispered, “We _are_ a family.”

 

* * *

 

4 years later

“Momma, momma, there’s a paper in the door,” little Ella called, before running out to the backyard where her friends were waiting.

JJ grinned and went to the front door, curious. Indeed, caught in the brief slot there was a small white envelope, with the name _Jennifer Jareau_ hand written on the front. Her heart stopped. She knew the writing. How could she ever forget the handwriting of the letter that had given her the most precious gift?

“Em…Emily!” she called, her voice catching. In a few moments Emily showed up behind her, alerted by the tone in JJ’s voice.

“Sweetheart, what it is it?” She took the envelope.

“It’s from… from Ella’s… mother,” she whispered. She had worried this day would come, that Ella’s mother would return and claim her daughter, take her away. She could contest the adoption, she could win.

Emily noticed JJ’s quickened breathing and led her to the couch. “Breathe, Jenny, breathe.”

When JJ was in control again, they opened the letter, together.

_Dear Jennifer-_

_If you’re reading this, it means I’m dead. I know there is a chance you ignored my last letter, maybe my daughter is in some foster home somewhere… But I hope she’s with you. I thought I owed it to you to tell you who I am, was, and now it doesn’t matter anymore. My life was always a wreck. I didn’t know a lot of good people, actually, almost none. But I spoke to you, once and you were the first person to treat me with kindest in maybe forever. Even though you were just asking for information. But you didn’t look at me with disgust, you didn’t judge me and so I remembered you. And when I found out I was pregnant I knew that giving my kid to you was the best choice. I couldn’t have left this life. Maybe that’s an excuse, maybe it’s the truth. It doesn’t matter now, does it? If she ever asks who I was, please tell her that giving her to you was the best thing I ever did. She deserves love, and a happy life. I hope you can give that to her._

_Thank you._

_Alicia Waters_

Emily looked at JJ, who had tears streaming down her face. “She was just some girl… On some case… The name doesn’t ring a bell-“

“We can check at headquarters,” Emily promised, holding JJ close.

“One interview and she thought I could be trusted with her daughter?”

Emily smiled. “She could see it, just like we all could. She was right, you were the best choice.”

JJ rested her head on Em’s shoulder and sighed. “ _We_ were the best choice.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a review letting me know if you enjoyed this little fic!


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